Seems like, with these clowns, he could have avoided the need for the threat by just passing out free tea-cookies and vodka first. Also, the first announcement he should have made is that a new ship tech is available that leaves spacetrawlers in the dark ages and that it’s going to be made available for everyone. After that, the rest seems like simple clean up.

Chaucer59, spacetrawlers are just one eeb-based industry. Owners of eebs who rely on them for labor and inventiveness will be very reluctant to give them up. Especially after seeing how dangerous free eebs are.